8 of Pentacles

The Eight of Pentacles shows a young craftsman diligently working on improving his skillset. Patiently and meticulously, he is carving out ornate golden pentacles by hand. Not afraid of hard work, he knows that there are no shortcuts to mastery, and so he has dedicated himself fully to the task at hand, his concentration as focused as a laser beam. Bent over his task, he has turned his back on all possible distractions.

When the Eight of Pentacles appears in its upright position in Tarot readings, it is usually a positive omen, hinting at a rare level of dedication to self improvement and to growing and building a foundation for future wealth and success. With diligence, dedication and attention to detail, you are determined to keep building and adding to your skillsets. You are expanding what you know and what you are capable of, slowly but surely.

When the reversed Pentacles comes up in a Tarot reading, its generally positive meaning is flipped on its head. Here, you may still be putting in the hours of hard work and dedication, unaware that you are building in the wrong place or moving in the wrong direction. You may be overlooking a smarter way of working, thereby missing out on a great opportunity to leap forward in your work and to take your income and business to a new level.

What the Pentacles mean in Tarot

The Tarot’s Minor Arcana (meaning ‘lesser mysteries’) consists of four suits – one for each of the four elements. The suit of Wands is fire, the suit of Cups is water, the suit of Swords is air and, finally, the suit of Pentacles is earth.

The earth element, and the suit of Pentacles deals with the tangible, physical aspects of life, including our physical environments, our health and our wealth. Note that the Pentacle symbol is quite literally a coin. This is why the suit of Pentacles is sometimes called the suit of Coins.

Numerology number 8 in Tarot

According to numerology, the number 8 stands for abundance, prosperity, wealth and the perpetual motion and transmutation of energy. The number itself consists of two loops flowing endlessly into each other. There is no end and no beginning, only a continuous cycle of growth and development.

The numerological significance of the number 8 is interesting to consider in relation to the 8 of Pentacles Tarot card, which all about slow, steady and continuous growth and improvement.

Eight of Pentacles Tarot card description

The craftsman

The primary character in the Eight of Coins Tarot card is the young man, hunched over his task. It is clear form his posture and concentrated expression that he i working hard and that he is fully absorbed in what he is doing. Moment by moment, his tasks may be repetitive and rather boring, but he is also honing and refining his ability and the quality of his work. His expertise is slowly increasing, and he is well on the way to becoming a master of his craft.

The coins

Golden coins are stacking up left and right as the young man keeps working. So far, he has crafted seven, and he is currently working on the eight. With each coin he carves, his skills grow – each one is turning out slightly better and more perfect than the one before.

The background

An idyllic town rises in the background of the card, but the young man’s back is turned to it. The town represents his home life and other potential distractions. The young craftsman has turned his back on them in order to be able to bring the full force of his concentration to the work at hand.

Eight of Pentacles Tarot card meanings

Here are the key upright Eight of Pentacles Tarot card meanings.

Skill development

The Eight of Coins often indicates skill development; growing and honing your knowledge and your capabilities. Your focus and commitment mean that each new version of what you create is the best version. As your skills grow, so does your confidence in your craft.

Apprenticeship

The upright card can signify an apprenticeship. You may not be entrusted with the most important or interesting tasks – in fact, you may only be entrusted with the basics – but through repetition and observation, you are able to absorb and learn a lot that will benefit you in the long run.

Slow and steady growth

Whether we are taking about a business, a relationship, true wealth, or a long and fulfilling career, there are certain things that do not offer shortcuts.

The Eight of Coins deals with slow, steady and organic growth. Here, each brick is laid with meticulous care and deliberation. Each individual stone – or coin – is not significant on its own, but stacked up over the course of time, the results are bound to be impressive.

Fulfilling work

The upright Eight of Pentacles is often an indication of fulfilling work. Some of your tasks may well be repetitive, and you are well aware that you are no master yet, but simply being underway, watching the quality of your work improve gives you both pride and satisfaction.

Mastery

You’ve already got hundreds, perhaps thousands of hours of practice under your belt. You are no novice anymore, and one look at your work will tell anyone that you have developed undeniable skill. You are on your way to mastery, and you are confident that once you get there, success will follow naturally.

Eight of Pentacles reversed Tarot card meanings

When the Eight of Wands appears in its reversed position, its positive connotations become inverted and the card shows its darker side. Here are the primary reversed Eight of Cups Tarot card meanings.

Misdirected activity

A key meaning of the reversed Eight of Coins is misdirected activity, which is any activity and effort that is not going to lead you down the right track. You may be dedicating huge amounts of time and effort to a project that is doomed to fail. You may be producing amazing work, but not be paid or recognised for it.

For your work to shine and generate the revenue and recognition it deserves, you are going to need to make some changes, seek new opportunities, manoeuvre yourself into a better position. There is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to make both art and money.

Sloppiness, lack of focus

Instead of focusing your time and efforts, you rare squandering and scattering them to the wind. The result is no progress, no growth and no development in any particular direction.

Eight of Pentacles Tarot card interpretation

Every Tarot card has multiple layers and facets of meaning, the Eight of Pentacles being no exception. Here are a few examples of how the Eight of Pentacles Tarot card could be interpreted in the context of different Tarot readings.

What the Eight of Pentacles means in a love Tarot reading

Upright

When you read Tarot cards about love life and the Eight of Pentacles appears, it can be very encouraging news. The Eight of Pentacles can hint at a relationship with long-term potential, and certainly one that is stable, solid and committed. On the other hand, the upright card can indicate a work life balance skewed heavily in favour of work.

Reversed

The Eight of Pentacles reversed can indicate that you lack the focus and dedication to make a relationship work. Just like a successful career, any successful long-term relationship requires effort. All of that magic requires hard work and lots of communication.

What the Eight of Pentacles means in a career Tarot reading

Upright

You are in a positive place right now when it comes to work. You are finding your job or the project you are working on engaging, and you are learning and discovering a lot in the process.

Reversed

There is no shortage of opportunity for you to grow and develop your skills. You are in a place of opportunity where, if you work hard, great success might be yours. However, you are struggling to focus your creative energy, and the quality of your work is suffering as a result.